Review: Clean Cut Kid – ‘We Used To Be In Love’

When this style is meticulously executed as well as it is here by Clean Cut Kid, there is absolutely nothing better.

Liverpool four-piece Clean Cut Kid has had a busy 12 months, and the lead single and title track from their upcoming EP We Used To Be In Love sees them continue their rise towards the upper echelons of indie rock. Cutting a similar sound to their artfully disjointed debut single ‘Vitamin C,’ itself only released last year, it presents similar sounds to the early work of New York City powerhouses Vampire Weekend, albeit with a distinctly more electronic feel. Although there is still an evolution from last year’s release – this latest single relies on an empowering electric guitar riff in the chorus, overarching the song – it is nice to see them starting to spread their wings and trying something slightly different.

Described by lead singer Mike Halls as being about passing someone in the street and remembering what you used to feel for each other, with lyrics such as “My body’s shaking as I see you walking by / Are we just strangers now?” simplistically expressing the song’s main themes. His unique harmonies with backing singer Evelyn Halls, the band’s iconic watermark, throughout the chorus make you feel the pain that he has evidently felt at some point in his life. Emphasised even further by the breakdown just before the chorus, this is a true heartbreak song, filled with emotion.

Though the repetitive chorus bores after a couple of listens – repeating titular phrases over and over is a bit lackadaisical – and it doesn’t quite hit the highs of either ‘Runaway’ or ‘Pick Me Up,’ this latest addition to their strong repertoire of singles makes it yet clearer that Clean Cut Kid is one of the indie bands to watch in the near future.